Locking device for drawbridges.



non Mannino AGNEW, or cHEsANING,'-MIGHIGAN.

Logique DEVICE ron nmiwimrnensl` esami.

l Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an.i31, 1911.I

'.Application'led November 9, 1908. vSerial No. 461,592.

To allfwhom'fit may concern:

Beitkowii-that I, Ron MANNING AGNEW, a Aei'tize/ii-ofjthe United States, residing `at Cliesaning, i vthecou-ii'tyof Saginaw andI l I y. l Vv State "vhf Midhigan, have invented certain -vices designed primarily for application to l'bridges of the bascule or lift type.

bridgepier and one of the chordsof a bas- Ifdllowing The invention further relates to power,

actuated .means f o`r operating and conti-'olling such locking devices. The ob}ects and advantages of the inventiln will appear frein the' detail description Figurel is a transverse section through a cule bridge resting thereon, withthe locking mechanism shown in elevation. resting lon the pier; Figs. 2 and' 3 are similar viewsshowingtwo other forms/lief the locking mechai nism; and Figfgll isa general v`ew of a secon itspivot to a substantially vertical position of a bascule bridgeshoia" ig ofthe locking device thereon.' 1 Referring first-to the general view shown the location 'in Fig; 4,1 representsaii abut-ment or pier yof masonry or concrete,l upon which is built a steel tower 2,-to which viswpitoted at 3 the steel structure. 4;'forming thel lift bridge -.pi'op,e r,,which spans. the waterway aand has its farther end restingon the concrete pier 6. The shore'. end of the bridge structure' eX- tends-somewhat inwardly and upwardly as at7 and has pivoted thereto a counterweight S which is alsdpivotally connected to the tower 2 by a lparallel link 9 to inaintainit vinl horizontal position during the lifting op- I X11 eration, as will'berea'dily understood. operating link 10 is -pivoted' tothe structure at .11 and operating means'12f of any-known kind `is suitably connccted'vwith said link.

These v.parts are of well known design and form no part of the 'present invention.

In'Fig. et. the bridge isshown in closed or4 normal position, and'it will be understood i '-"thatwhen itis desired to clear the waterway 5 forlnavigation, the bridge may be swung tion, the structure being innearly a perfect balance by reason of the counterweight 8.

When the bridge isreturned to itshorizontal lsolenoid 24 'having its core '2 5 connected position, it is found inpractice that as the taken Witli the drawings,l in

outer end strikes the piei1 6 there is always more or less rebound or vibration which causes some delay in locking the bridge for the resumption of traffic thereon. It is for the purpose of avoiding this delay and for instantaneously locking a bridge of this The base of the bridge structure 1 is made up of a series of chords 13, the outer ends of which rest upon the plate 14 forming the 5 character in closed position that the present invention was devised, and the details there-v of will now be described.

upper surface of the pier G when the bridge is' in 'closed position. Oneor a series (depending upon the size of the bridge) of automatic locking devices l5 are used for instantaneously securing the chords to the pier, and one of such devices is illust-rated.

vReferring to Fig. 1, itlwill be seen that a steel block 16 is securely bolted to one of the sides of the chord, projecting slightly beyoud the e'dgethereof, and that there is pivoted on a suitable truniiioii bar 17 mounted iirmly'in the pier 6, a catch or dog 18 having a'beveled head 19 and a nose 20. This dog is soyinount'ed on the pier that *its beveled head is normally in the vertical th; of the Vblock 16 and it is adapted to be iiioved from this path leither by the block itself acting,iii

i descending, on tlie beveled head or byl a manually controlled power actuated means vhereinafter described. The dog is held in its norinal or locking position in which it is shown in the ligure with the nose 2O engaging orver t-lie shoulder 21 of said bloc-k, by a spring 22,'and a stop 23 liiiiits its movement toward the block.

It will be understood that in a mechanismy of this character which must of necessity 'be strains to which it is subjected, itwould be iinpracticable to depend upon manual power for withdrawing the locking dog 1 8, as soine forni of reduction gearing o r a complicated be required', particularly if the device was to be operated at a distance from the locking d og, which would render the operation slow and uncertain, and thus cause delay in openthe .locking dog. `Iii the form illustrated in Fig. y1 .this mechanism is in the form of a ico Vsystem Aof levers and connecting rods would drawing-*the lock-ing dog. ln cases where' through lin'k 26 with the dog 18 at or near its head. It will be understood that the link connection is for the purpose of permitting the core to move straight through the center of the solenoid while the dog swings on its pivot 17. The core 25 is suitably insulated from the link 26 by block 27, and the frame 28 of the solenoid maybe insulated from its support by suitable blocks 2 9. Conductors 30 convey currentto the solenoid windings from a source of electricity 31, and the operation o the solenoid may Ibe manually controlledfrom a distance by'a switch 32 placed in the circuit.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the above description. The bridge chord 13 is shown in locked positionv in Fig. 1 and if it is desired to'open the bridge the switch 32 isclosed thus energizing the solenoid 24 which'acts to 'quickly draw the core 25 within it thus moving the dog 1S through the link 26 toward the rightv in Fig. 1, thus disengaging the nose. 20 from vthe shoulder 21, whichleaves the chord 13 free to swing upwardly on its pivot 3. Upon the return of the ehord.13, as it nears the pier 14 the lower right hand edge of the block 16 slides down ,the beveled face of the head '19 moving the dog out of its path against the tension of the spring 22, and the moment the chord strikes the pier the nose 20 of the dog snaps over the shoulder` 21 of the block and the chord is safely held against rebound or vibration and securely locked to the pier. i Y

Since thebeveled 'face of the head 19 and the nose 20are subject. to sliding contactwith the block 16, it is desirable'that lubricant be supplied to them, and this is ac-l complished in the present invention by drilled holes 33 extending from these parts to suitable points on the side of the head 19 and grease cups 34 to force lubricant through these holes to the surfaces to be lubricated.

Referring toFig. 2, it will be seen that a sliding dog'lS is employed. l This dog is supported in a bracket 17a in which it'has a sliding tit and is rigidly connected through the insulating block 27 with the core 25 of the solenoidV 24. The spring 2221 in this instance surrounds the extended end of the core and abuts against a shoulder 35 thereon and' a bracket 36 mounted on the solenoid frame 2S. A stop 23a`limits the for v ward movement of the dog. The remaining parts of this form ot' the invention are the same as in Fig. 1, and the operation is obvious.

It will be observed that Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 except in the means shown for withelectricity is not available, the dog may be operated by pneumatic or hydraulic power7 using a cylinder 36 having a piston 3T and a piston rod 3S connected by a pin and slot connection 39 with the sliding dog 18,". i

spring 22b extends between the piston and a bracket 36bon the cylinder, guided by a rod.

40 forming 'an' extension of the piston rod, said rod ll() also having a stop/11 to limit theforward-movement of the' piston. The rear end of the cylinder is open to the atmosphere and the forward endis supplied with compressed air or other fluid through a pipe 42, a leak 43 being'providd ,to permit the pistonA to return slowly 4to thenormal posii tion shown after. the dog has been Withdrawn and the chord released. It will be Aunder-v stood that the pin and' slot connection is to permit the dog tomove rearwardly when moved by the'descending chord 13 without` thereon as the bridge closes, of an automatic locking devicel mounted on said pier and adapted to engage and hold said structure to the pier, and a solenoid connected with said locking device to withdraw the same from suc engagement.

2. The combination with two separated bridge piers,and a bridge structure pivoted on one ofsaid piers and adapted to span 'the space'between the piers, a chord 'of said struc ture being adapted -t`o strike on said other 'pier asv the bridge closes, of an automaticlockingdevice mounted on said latter pierand adapted to engage and hold said chord, and a solenoid cofnected with said locking device to withdraw the same from such engage! ment.

against said pier as the bridge closes, of a 3.Thecombination .withja pier and a vmovable bridge structure adapted to strike spring pressed locking device mounted on said pier. a block on Said bridge structure vadapted to travel in the path of said locking device and Vcause thelatter to first be moved against the tension of its spring and then 4snap over a shoulder on said block as th'e 'bridge strikes said pier, and power actuated` means for withdrawing `said device from saidblock.

4. The combination with apier and a. movable bridge chord adapted to strike thereon as the bridge closes, of a catch mounted on said pier and movable to engage andA hold said chord, a spring tending to press said catch toward said chord, a solenoid for withdrawing said -catch, and a source of electricity for energizing said solcnoid.

5. The combination with a pier and a movable bridge chord adapted tofstrike thereon. as the bridge cioses, of a bracket' :secured to said -pier adjacent the path of said chord, a Sliding bolt arranged tol slide in an opening in Said bracket and provided' With a beveled head normally in the path of said chord, a spring to yieldingly maintain saidbolt in the path of said chord, a stop to limit the action ot' saidl spring, and power operated means for withdrawing said bolt from the path of said chord.`

6. T he combination with a movable bridge chord and a block thereon provided With a shoulder, a pier upon which said chord is vadapted to strike as the bridgel closes, and a spring-pressed dog on said pier adjacent the point Where said chord strikes and adapted.y to be moved by said block andto catch over said shoulder to Secure the chord to the pier as the bridge closes, of a solenoid connected to said dog, and va' source of electricity for 'energizing said solenoid to Withdraw said' dog from said Shoulder the chord. A

7. The combination with a movable bridge chord and a block thereon providedy with a shoulder, a pier upon which said chord 'isv to thereby release adapted to strike as the bridge closes, and a spring-pressed dog on said pier adjacent the point where said chordvstrikes and adapted to be moved by said block and to catchv over said shoulder to secure thechord to the pier vas the bridge-closes, otl a solenoid connected to said dog, aso'urceof electricity including said solenoid in its circuit for energizing said Solenoid to withdraw said doge from said shoulder to thereby release the chord, anda l switch inl said circuit whereby the mecha-l nism-may be controlled from a distance.

8. The' combination- With a pierv and a movable bridge chord s adapted to strike `thereon as the bridge closes, of an automatic locking Adevice for said chord comprising a dog having a beveled head arranged in the path of travel' of'saidv chord and a nose to snap over a. [shoulder on saidch'ord, a spring tending to hold said dogin said path, and` a solenoid for vwithdravving said dog from said path.'

, 9.' movable bridge,y chord.. adapted tostrike The combination with a pier and a l u l thereon as the bridge closes, of an automatic locking device for said ychord comprising a dog having a beveled head arranged in the path'ot travel of said chord and a noseto snap over a shoulder o n said chord, a spring 'tending to hold said dog in said path, a solenoid, a link connecting the core of said sole-l noid AWith the head ot said dog, and a source of electricity -i'or energizing said:` solenoid at will.' l

locking device for said chordcoinprising a sliding dog, a bracket for supporting said dog, a solenoid having its core connected to said dog at one lend and projected through and beyond the other end of saidsolenoid, al

Source'of electricity for energizing said solfenoid a't Will.

11.r The combination with a pierI` and a movable bridge adapted to strike thereon as the bridge closes, of a catch or dog yadapted to automatically lock said bridge to said pier land having a sliding engagement 'with a block on said bridge, and means 'for lubricating the engaging surfaces of said catch comprising grease .cups mounted on said dogs adjacent the engaging surface.

' 12. The combination with. a pier and av movable bridge adaptedto .strike thereon` as the bridge closes, of a catch or 'dog adapted to automatically lock said bridge to said pier andv having a' sliding engagement with a block onsaid bridge, said dog having drilled holes extending from its engaging.

surfaces to suitable points on its side, and

greasecups arranged vin said holes, whereby surfaces.

lubricant maybe supplied to said engaging whereof I aiix my signature in presence oftw'o Witnesses.

, ROE MANNING'-AGNEV. YVitnesses: 1 A

Y FRANK E. CAVE,

v 4PHILIP V'iToLo.,

- 4 6o' i 10. The combination with a -pier. and a' -7 movable bridge chord adapted to'strikel thereon as the bridge closes, of an automatic 

